ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE The Royal Canadian Air Force is an agile and integrated force whose reach and power is essential to Canadian Armed Forces operations at home and abroad. Given the vastness of Canada’s territory, it is vitally important for the Canadian Armed Forces to be able to operate throughout Canada on very short notice – the Air Force makes this possible. This strategic reach is also a critical enabler of Canadian Armed Forces global expeditionary operations, enabling joint action through control of the air, force protection, surveillance and reconnaissance, air mobility, and air attack. As space-based capabilities become evermore important for security and defence, the Royal Canadian Air Force will take on an increasingly important role coordinating and overseeing the defence space program. The Air Force can be task tailored and integrated in a networked force. Every Royal Canadian Air Force platform, be it piloted, remotely piloted or space-based, also acts as a sensor, ensuring that information and intelligence gets to decision-makers in a timely fashion. The Royal Canadian Air Force generates space-based and aviation surveillance of Canadian territory and its approaches; maintains 24/7 aerial search and rescue response capabilities; and assists civil authorities in responding to a wide range of challenges and threats, from natural disasters to terrorist attacks. Through NORAD, the Royal Canadian Air Force makes substantial contributions to continental defence, generating the vital capabilities required to detect, deter, and defeat threats to both Canada and North America. THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE FIGHTER REPLACEMENT In order to counter today’s evolving threat environment and remain highly interoperable with its allies and key operational partners, Canada will procure a fighter capability of 88 jets to replace the aging CF-18 fleet. Military threats across a range of systems such as advanced fighters and anti-access area denial (A2AD) surface-to-air missile systems, in addition to evolving cyber threats, are making the environment within which the Canadian Armed Forces operates more lethal and complex. As such, the Canadian Armed Forces requires a fighter fleet that is capable, upgradeable, resilient and interoperable with our allies and partners to ensure Canada continues to meet its NORAD and NATO commitments in the future. The fighter aircraft fleet is a critical Canadian Armed Forces capability necessary to enforce Canada’s sovereignty, enable continental security, and contribute to international peace and stability. In addition to the quality of the fighter capability required, the Royal Canadian Air Force requires sufficient numbers 38 of fighter aircraft to ensure control of Canada’s vast airspace, while maintaining an ability to simultaneously contribute to international operations, conduct pilot training, and to allow for maintenance and repair. The fleet size of 88 fighter aircraft will provide the necessary number of aircraft to fulfill Canada’s commitments, including maintenance and readiness training. INTERIM FIGHTER CAPABILITY At the time of publication, the Government of Canada is continuing to explore the potential acquisition of an interim aircraft to supplement the CF-18 fighter aircraft fleet until the completion of the transition to the permanent replacement aircraft (see above). This interim capacity would reduce the risk associated with relying exclusively on the aging CF-18 fleet and could help mitigate the capability gap so that Canada can generate sufficient mission ready aircraft to meet its domestic and international obligations until the permanent replacement is fully operational.